Remember or Move On
by RyanMann141
Summary: "Why are the good people taken from the world while the corrupted lived among us? To this day, even I can't give you an answer" Dedicated to Monty Oum of Rooster Teeth, First RWBY Fanfic
1. Chapter One: The Funeral

It was a light rainy afternoon…

All of Beacon Academy…

All knew one of the greatest persons of the world…

Was gone…

And that event, made everything that changed the lives of many…

Several Days earlier: January 21st 2015: Beacon Academy Briefing Centre

"Alright guys listen up, today we are joined with four other teams to patrol the Emerald Forest, however Me and the other team leaders have been told that there is a deadly pack of Beowolves are lurking in the zone" Jaune Arc briefed his team "But we'll do our job the best we can"

Team JNPR, put all the hands together, and all said "One Team, One Goal, One Future"

Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren enter their Bullhead, and are dropped off to Patrol Zone Delta where they begin their patrol.

"Alright Jaune and I will head north and east, Ren; You and Nora take the west and the south" Pyrrha advised

"Understood, let's go Nora!" Ren tells his friend Nora, and they head off, to patrol the region.

January 21st 2015: Emerald Forest Patrol Zone Delta: Several Hours Later

The Patrol goes as planned, as soon all teams are to report to their extraction point, to return to the academy.

"Well that wasn't so hard" Jaune tells Pyrrha as the two walk onwards.

"I dunno, it think it needs something" Pyrrha states, happily to her leader.

"Like what?" Jaune asked oblivious to her actions, soon Pyrrha answers his question by holding his hand, which he responds with a blush, but the two continued onwards.

Soon the two meet up with Ren and Nora at the extraction point, and the Bullhead approaches.

However as it arrives, the VTOL is suddenly attacked, by a sudden force and it crashes into the ground.

The team look at each other till hearing a light growl; the team snap to the sound and see red eyes in the dark bushes and the come out revealing a pack of Beowolves, but what they don't know it's the deadly pack that all teams were warned about.

"Defensive Formation!" Jaune ordered, soon the four members take their defensive stance, and the Beowolves engage at them.

Three of the Beowolves surround Pyrrha and Juane, "Like we practised" the two, then charged at the Beowolves and the three are completely wiped from existence.

Nora began firing Magnhild's grenades at the main pack of Beowolves, but one manages to get behind her. The Beowolf charged at her and disarms her, and Nora looks at the Beowolf face to face, it charges at her, but at the last moment, Ren dives and takes the attack, to which the Beowolf bites Ren's neck-shoulder joint rather violently till being impaled by Pyrrha's javelin.

Nora quickly runs to Ren and turns him over, and see Ren bleeding heavily, Jaune quickly calls for an emergency response medical team, and soon everything became silent…

As the four other teams arrive along with Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch, to extract Team JNPR, who all see Ren's dire situation.

All Ren could hear was faint voices disoriented

_"__Quick get him on board!"_ a voice ordered

_"__He's losing too much blood!"_ a voice yelled in panic

_"__Why isn't his aura doing anything!?"_ a voice yelled in concern and confusion

January 21st 2015: Beacon Academy Medical Centre Roof Top – Two Hours Later

Soon everyone is extracted and taken back to Beacon Academy, where Ren is taken to extensive care and no one, net even the remaining members of Team JNPR could go see him, all that everyone could do is wait.

January 21st 2015: Beacon Academy Medical Centre waiting room – An Hour Later

Team RWBY and JNP wait in the waiting room, hoping to hear news from the Academy's top doctors, Doctors Mogar Jones and Creeper Free, Nurses Ray and Linda, soon Nurse Linda comes out.

"What's his state nurse?" Nora asked hoping that her best friend is okay.

"Well, he's still alive, but barely, because unfortunately what Ren was bitten by was an evolved Beowolf, and it's properties are that, any form of being that is bitten by it, it released a toxin that feeds on the aura and after it finished devouring the Aura, it causes the body to shut down completely, and his aura has depleted to critical levels" Nurse Linda breaks the news to teams.

"He's going to okay, right?" Yang asked.

"We aren't sure, we are currently creating a serum, that will help replenish his aura, but we aren't sure it will work, since the experimental medical dust shipment hasn't arrived from Atlas" The nurse states "Also Professor Ozpin has allowed your teams to take the next week off, you are all free to do what you want" soon the nurse leaves, and the team head off thinking about Ren's condition.

January 21st 2015: Beacon Academy Cafeteria – 20 Minutes Later

The hunter and six huntresses, walk to the table, barely touching their plates, all feeling sad, but hoping that what the Beacon doctors come up with, will work. But currently, everyone just felt miserable.

Weiss sighs "Yang, got any puns I can hear?" she asked desperate to rid the thoughts in her head.

"Can't too sad" Yang responded by laying her head on the desk.

"Want some cookies Ruby?" Jaune asked sadly, holding a bag of cookies in front of her.

"No thanks, too sad to eat" was Ruby's response and Jaune then just throws the bag on the table, soon Team CFVY arrives and sees the downed members of Team RWBY and JNP.

"You guys alright?" Coco asked everyone, and no-one responded. Soon the team takes a seat, to help comfort them.

Velvet goes and grabs everyone a glass of milk, to which everyone drinks but doesn't make them any better.

"You guys seem so upset, I'm sure he's going to be okay" Velvet chimed.

"Thanks Velvet" Nora tells the Rabbit eared Faunus.

"I'm glad to help" Velvet said with a small smile, till turning her head, she sees Team CRDL approaching.

"Hey, how's your teammate?" Cardin asked

"We aren't sure" Blake tells them

"Well, we just want to tell you guys that, we hope he pulls through, and that we're on our way to give him some get well cards" Sky states showing everyone the cards.

"Yeah, we'll see you guys around" Cardin states, till leaving with Team CRDL.

First Team CFVY was confused with CRDL, they never been like this until now, but the others didn't care, and decided to create some get well cards themselves to help him.

Soon over the next couple of days, while the serum is being created, Team RWBY and JNP begin, sending cards and gifts to their friend, and this filled everyone one with hope, that Ren will be okay.

February 1st 2015: Beacon Academy Dormitories: 9 Days Later

Team RWBY and JNP, come back from a mission in town, but as soon they arrive back at the academy, they are called by Professor Opzin with a message from the medical centre.

_"__Team RWBY and JNP, you have been requested to head to the medical centre"_ was the call to both team leaders and without hesitation, the seven of them head for the centre.

February 1st 2015: Beacon Academy Medical Centre Waiting Room: 4:35pm

The teams wait in the waiting room, and Nurse Linda and Ray come out with very sad expressions.

"Is Ren okay? Please tell me he's okay" Nora said with tears about to come out.

"I don't know how to break it to you, but he's gone…" Nurse Linda breaks the bad news to them.

"What?!" was a lot of the members reactions, while some were simply shocked.

"How did he die? You said that the serum would help him survive" Jaune yells in sadness.

"Unfortunately, Ren had a major allergic reaction to the serum, due to the reaction, it sped up the toxin's actions, killing him, we're so sorry, we did the best we could" Nurse Ray tells them and hugs Nurse Linda as she began to weep.

The Teams didn't know what to do, he was gone, Nora fell to her knees, knowing her best friend was gone, and began to cry. Pyrrha had finally broke, the five time Mistral Champion, invulnerable to any opponent, had broken down, by the loss of Ren, she is embraced by Jaune as she cried into his shoulder but could also hear Jaune's faint weeping. Team RWBY all begin to cry, Ruby slumps back into her seat with her head in her hands crying, Weiss sit next to her, with her hand on her back trying to hold her tears, but is unable to and lets them out. A sadden Blake sees Yang almost baling her eyes out like Nora, so Blake hugs Yang, but also began weeping.

February 1st 2015: Beacon Academy Headmaster Office: At the same moment

Professor Ozpin sighs, and puts his cup of coffee down.

"Professor Ozpin?" Glynda Goodwitch asks the headmaster of Beacon "Are you alright?"

"As hunters and huntresses, we know that we put our lives on the line, but you'd expect that after they graduate, not before" Ozpin states with sadness.

"I know… but part of me wished we could have done more" Goodwitch responds.

"You and me both, schedule a funeral, and rename the Memorial Cemetery, to the Lie Ren Memorial Cemetery" Ozpin tells Goodwitch

"Already on its way" she responded till starting to weep, Ozpin hears and embraces her.

"Let's all hope he's in a better place" was Ozpins words to her.

February 6th 2015: Lie Ren Memorial Cemetery: Present Day

All teams from Beacon take their seats, absorbing the light rain, all ready to pay their respects to the fallen hunter in training.

_Nora's thoughts_

_Why is worst of us spared, while the best are taken? Even I can't answer that question. Everyone tells me that death comes for us all, eventually and as a hunter or huntress it's easy for one death to become just another number. But… all I knew was my best friend was gone, and a part of me wished that I had been taken instead, I don't know what I'm going to do without him… Goodbye Ren… I'll miss you…_

Soon Nora's attention turns back to the funeral of her best friend; Nora turns and sees Pyrrha and Jaune still weeping, and a small speech from Jaune, as its tradition for a team leader to say a few words, on his friend's behalf.

Soon Professor Ozpin gets on the stand, to begin. "We are gathered here to pay our respects to young hunter in training, Mr. Lie Ren. He was a young but determined student of our academy, not once he has disappointed us, and showed us all, he embodies out concepts here at Beacon; Determination, Skill and Responsibilities, more than any other, student we've had at our academy, unfortunately on the 1st of February of this year, was the sad ending to a young man who had a whole life to fulfil, and so it's time to say goodbye to Mr. Lie Ren, a student I had the honour of teaching and housing, it's a sad day to see so much potential in a person fade away, and by the academy standards, Lie Ren was one of the very best" he tells the crowd, "Now, a few words from Lie Ren's team leader, Mr. Jaune Arc"

Jaune then takes the stand and begins "Ren was more than just a comrade, more than just a fighter, more than a student, more than a hunter, he was a friend, a friend not to me, but to everyone who knew him, from our academy to the far region of Remnant, but today he leaves behind, family…" he turns to Nora, Pyrrha and Team RWBY till continuing his speech "Friends, fellow Hunters and Huntresses and a better world".

Soon everyone begins to pay their respects, beginning with Professor Ozpin, followed by Goodwitch, Port and Oobleck. Soon Jaune pays his respects followed by Pyrrha, Yang, Blake, Weiss, Ruby then finally Nora. As Nora walks away, Team CFVY walks up to her "I'm sorry for your loss, listen we take care of our comrades, you need anything, please let us know, you're not alone in this" Velvet tells her, till walking up to pay their respects, and Nora begins to go into deep thoughts again.

_"__Not Alone in this? I'm pretty sure I am, no one aside his family, know him better than I, I'm gonna miss him, no matter… what I wish for… he won't come back…" _Poor Nora thought, then she sees Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch talking with a strange figure.


	2. Chapter Two: A Past with a Hero

December 12th 2011: 3 Years Earlier: Atlas

On the Atlas waterfront, a young man, named Ryan Mann does his day job, picking up tree sap from the forest, for his town's chemist shop. As Ryan does his job, he hears a low growl.

"What the heck was that?" he asked himself, as he turns back to his job, he hears the growl again, soon out of nowhere, he is attacked by a young Beowolf, and it scratches his arm. As Ryan holds his arm in pain, he turns back to the Beowolf, as it was ready to kill him. It charges at him and Ryan braces for his fate, until he hears a stabbing sound. He turns to the Beowolf and sees it killed by someone with green machine pistols. It was Lie Ren.

"You okay?" He asks the injured Atlesian.

"Nothing a small dose of Red Sap gel, can't fix" he responds to him.

"So, what are you doing out in this part?" Ren asks him.

"Just doing my day job, gathering sap for the local chemist shop" Ryan states.

"Quite a dangerous job, you're not even armed or equipped with armour" Ren states concerning his state of being.

"Well, this is my last job, so it doesn't matter that much" Ryan tells Ren, till he notices he forgot to introduce himself "Oh, I'm Ryan by the way, Ryan Mann" Ryan extends his hand to Ren to which Ren shakes "Lie Ren, anyway, we better get your wound fixed up before it gets infected"

"Good idea, the chemist isn't far from here, let's go" Ryan tells Ren.

December 12th 2011: Dr Wayne's World of Medicine Chemist: 5 Minutes Later

Soon Ren and Ryan arrive at the chemist shop, run by Dr Wayne, one of Atlas's best doctors, on the Mantle region.

"Oh dear, got attacked again Ryan?" Dr Wayne asked.

"You get attacked often doing this job?" Ren asks in disbelief.

"It's not so bad, I get free medical products and a 50% discount at other chemist shops around Atlas" Ryan states.

"Don't worry about Ryan, young one, I assure you, no matter what wound, sickness or fracture, Dr Wayne's Medicine can heel it all, all thanks to the Schnee Dust Company's best shipment of Dust in the world!" Dr Wayne said proudly, which the two young men laugh.

"Well I gotta go, Nora will probably be wondering where I am, It was nice meeting you Ryan" Ren tells him.

"Likewise, hope we can meet again someday" Ryan states, then the two give each other their holo-contacts numbers, till Ren left to find Nora.

What Ryan didn't know, soon after being accepted into Beacon, Ren became one of the most renown hunters in training, and his actions are spread around the kingdoms, Ryan and Ren kept in contact, however Ryan tells Ren that he wasn't able to hear them for long as Ryan had enlisted into a private military corporation, since he wasn't happy with the Atlesian Military's new combat regulations, replacing human troops with androids and soon after Ren and Ryan haven't made contact for 2 months, but despite that though none of them forgot each other.

February 5th 2015: Unknown Location: PMC HQ

The CEO of the Private Military Corporation sits in his chair and waits for Ryan to arrive. The CEO has a cigar then Ryan arrives.

"Ah, Ryan, our company's best contractor" the CEO began.

"Just doing my job sir" Ryan responds.

"Unfortunately for you Ryan, I have some bad news for you" The CEO tells Ryan, causing him to be confused.

"Bad news sir, have I done something wrong?" Ryan asked

"No, nothing like that" The CEO assures him, but then pulls out a datapad with Ren's image on it and passes it to Ryan "I'm sure you know him"

"Yeah, Lie Ren, one of the hunters in training at Beacon Academy, we meet in 2011, before I enlisted" Ryan tells his CEO.

"Well, the bad news is that, he has passed away" The CEO tells Ryan, causing him to drop the datapad.

"What?" Ryan asks, hoping this is just a ruse, but it wasn't.

"He was bitten by an evolved Beowolf, and as he was in a medical procedure, he had an allergic reaction, which caused the toxin the Beowolf given to him, sped up and caused his death. I'm sorry this had to be told to you Ryan, but you're one of my best contractors and I know you two were close mates, so get your formal outfit ready, I managed to get us a spot at his funeral tomorrow" The CEO tells Ryan, to which Ryan was very grateful for his generosity.

February 6th 2015: Lie Ren Memorial Cemetery: Present Day

Ryan and the CEO arrive at the funeral, for Ryan to pay his respects to Ren, soon the two join the crowd and listen to Professor Ozpin's words.

"We are gathered here to pay our respects to young hunter in training, Mr. Lie Ren. He was a young but determined student of our academy, not once he has disappointed us, and showed us all, he embodies out concepts here at Beacon; Determination, Skill and Responsibilities, more than any other, student we've had at our academy, unfortunately on the 1st of February of this year, was the sad ending to a young man who had a whole life to fulfil, and so it's time to say goodbye to Mr. Lie Ren, a student I had the honour of teaching and housing, it's a sad day to see so much potential in a person fade away, and by the academy standards, Lie Ren was one of the very best" he tells the crowd, "Now, a few words from Lie Ren's team leader, Mr. Jaune Arc"

Ryan watches the young team leader take the stand "Ren was more than just a comrade, more than just a fighter, more than a student, more than a hunter, he was a friend, a friend not to me, but to everyone who knew him, from our academy to the far region of Remnant, but today he leaves behind, family… friends, fellow Hunters and Huntresses and a better world".

Soon everyone began to pay their respects to Ren, The CEO pats Ryan's back and gives him some wise words "Listen Ryan, try your best not to say goodbye, because saying goodbye means you're saying it for the last time, but if you don't say goodbye, they'll never be gone, remember that".

"Thanks sir"

"Also when you're done paying your respects, meet me and Professor Ozpin" he then ordered

"Understood" Soon Ryan gets up, to pay his respects, as he arrives at the coffin, Ryan places his hand to it and began a deep thought _"Why are the good people taken from the world while the corrupted lived among us? To this day, even I can't give you an answer"_ Soon afterwards Ryan finds his CEO and Professor Ozpin.

"So then, your contractor will attend Beacon for just 2 and half years?" Professor Ozpin asks the CEO,

"Yes, Ryan was a good friend with Lie Ren, and since Ryan is one of my best contractors, I don't want him to be mentally destroyed by this" The CEO states.

"Same with me, I got seven students who are hit by this really hard, especially his partner" Ozpin said concerned with his students. The Ryan enters the conversation.

"Professor Ozpin" Ryan extends his hand to which Ozpin shakes.

"So this is the contractor you plan to send?" Ozpin asks

"Yes, his name is Ryan Mann, one of my company's best contractors" the CEO states "Ryan, I have a new assignment for you, you'll be spending the next 2 years and a half attending Beacon, helping several students"

"Why's that sir?" Ryan asks

"When Lie Ren was hospitalised, in January, two teams were completely depressed because of it, and when they heard the news of Ren's passing, they were heart broken and have been depressed ever since. But according to your CEO, you have had a good friendship with Lie Ren in the past, and you have had experience dealing with depression" Ozpin states.

"Yeah, but I can't take these kinds of losses very well, and I take longer getting over someone's death" Ryan states feeling not the right person for this, sure Ryan has had experienced depression for most of his life, till getting slightly better at suppressing it especially after enlisting into the PMC, but when it came to people he had close connections to and that have passed away, it affects him hard, and unlike most people who could get over something like this in a few weeks, it takes Ryan a few months or even a year to get over.

"I know it's hard for you Ryan, even I found it hard to lose such a person, but as headmaster of Beacon Academy, I have to remain professional, no matter how painful it is" Ozpin tells Ryan.

"I understand, and I will try my best to help" Ryan tells Ozpin and the CEO, knowing that Ryan will try to help.

"Good to hear, but remember you're still part of my corporation, but remember to try to look out for yourself" the CEO advises him.

"I'm not sure that's in me, doesn't mean I won't try sir" Ryan shakes hands with the CEO, and then the CEO gets into his car and leaves.

"Alright, Ryan follow me, I'll take you to the academy, where you'll meet the students, I'm concerned about the most" Ozpin briefs Ryan, and soon the two head for the academy.

February 6th 2015: Beacon Academy Team JNP's dorm: 3 Hours Later

Back at Team JNP's dorm, the seven students have created a small memorial for Ren, till they hear a knock at the door. Ozpin then enter the room and sees the upset seven students.

"Everyone, I know for the last couple of days, Ren's lost has occupied your minds, and as always we'll never forget his contributions to the world, but as hunters and huntresses, you are to expected not to allow this to consume your abilities, so to help you all, A PMC has sent someone who has experience dealing with what you're experiencing, and unfortunately for you Team JNP, I know this is too soon, but he'll also be filling Ren's spot on your team" Ozpin tells everyone.

"WHAT?!" Nora yells out loud "Not even a week and you have someone to replace Ren?! You cold heartless bastard!" Nora said in anger and sadness with tear running down her face, as she was the one in particular affected by this hard.

"Nora, calm down, but she's right, it hasn't been a week, and you're replacing him with someone who doesn't know Ren as much as we do" Pyrrha tells Ozpin calmly

"That's when you're wrong Miss Nikos, Mr Arc have you ever seen Ren use the holo-call system?" Ozpin asks Jaune.

"Yeah, quite a lot till two months ago" Jaune answered.

"Well the person that Ren contacts, is the person who is filling his position, and he has agreed to help all of you" Ozpin clarifies.

"Well, I don't know if this is a good idea, professor" Ruby chimes in.

"Miss Rose, reason I came up with this choice, is that you all seem pretty hurt and depressed, and it's not something you all can handle alone" Ozpin states concerning his students.

"So who is this person?" Weiss asked.

"Here he is" Ozpin points to Ryan as he enters the room in his PMC combat outfit.

"Hey there, Jaune Arc, Team Leader of Team JNP" Jaune tells Ryan, and extends his hand to which Ryan shakes.

"Ryan Mann, ATLAS PMC" Ryan tells him his name and were he's from.

"ATLAS PMC? When did Atlas get a private military corporation?" Blake asked, and everyone except Ryan and Ozpin were confused.

"Ah, I understand your confusion, the ATLAS Corporation is a multi-kingdom and multi-race Private Military Corporation which is just as powerful as the Atlesian Military, but unlike them, ATLAS prefers using actually human and Faunus soldiers rather than androids for combat operations" Ryan tells the back story of ATLAS.

"Why does your PMC use humans and Faunus troops instead of androids?" Pyrrha asks.

"Well, what the Atlesian military doesn't understand, is that we have what androids don't have; instincts, feelings, moral judgment and common sense, also ALTAS is pretty much takes the Atlesian military might, and the other kingdom's influences, and many people have stated that ATLAS should be in charge on the Vytal Festival coming up, but enough about ATLAS, reason why Ozpin and my CEO chose me to help you guys, is because I have had experience dealing with depression, however I did tell them regarding loses like this, it's something even I can't handle very well, but that doesn't mean that will stop me from helping you guys" Ryan tells everyone.

"We really appreciate your help, but I'm not sure about this" Yang tells Ryan.

"Maybe we should give him a chance, because I don't Ren would want us to be latched onto this tragedy for forever" Blake tells Yang, to which everyone except Nora nods.

"What about you Nora?" Weiss asked her.

"I don't want to forget about Ren! He was my best friend!" She said while crying. Pyrrha then rubs her back to help calm her down.

"Alright, starting tomorrow you'll be meeting Ryan in Professor Port's classroom, so Ryan can begin giving you advise" Ozpin stated "Ryan, here is your key-card for your dorm".

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow" Ryan tells everyone, till leaving the room but begins having a deep thought "_Let's hope I can help everyone, no one should ever suffer what these guys had to endure"._

Meanwhile back at Team JNP's room, everyone decided to get some sleep, but while sleeping Nora began thinking about Ryan and his role for tomorrow, _"Why is he here, I don't want to forget about Ren, I don't care what this guy has been through! I don't want to let go!"_ she thought, as she isn't happy about this, and wondering why the others are giving him a chance, but looks like she'll have to wait till tomorrow.


End file.
